1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to track and field athletics, and particularly to a pole vault box for pole vaulting.
2. Description of the Related Art
Pole vaulting is an ancient pastime steeped in deep tradition. While its exact origins remain unclear, depictions from the Ancient Greeks date as far back as the Fifth Century (B.C.). Since its inclusion in the first modern Olympics, pole vaulting has only continued to grow in popularity. High schools and colleges have driven the popularity, allowing students to earn college scholarships and pursue professional careers.
While pole vaulting may be popular, according to studies in an article in The American Journal of Sports Medicine, pole vaulting has a relatively high risk of direct catastrophic injuries in track and field athletics. Catastrophic Injuries in Pole Vaulters: A Prospective 9-year Follow-up Study, Boden et al., The American Journal of Sports Medicine, Vol. 40, No. 7, 1488-1494, 1488 (July 2012). The article defined “catastrophic injuries” as injuries covering brain hemorrhaging, skull, spine, or pelvic fractures, substantial pulmonary injuries, or intra-abdominal injuries. Id at 1488-1489. During the years 2003 to 2011, 19 catastrophic pole vaulting injuries were acknowledged. Id. at 1490. The majority of these 19 catastrophic injuries occurred by the athlete landing within or in close proximity to the pole vault box, regardless of the presence of a padded collar surrounding the pole vault box or not. Id. at 1492.
In 2003, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) implemented changes to reduce the amount of pole vaulting injuries. It is believed that the most important change implemented by the NFHS and NCAA was increasing the size of the minimum landing pad from 16 feet (ft)×14 ft to 19 ft 8 inches×16 ft 5 inches. Id. Additionally, further safety measures were adopted by organizations, including requiring an athlete to wear a protective helmet. However, as noted by the authors, a helmet may not provide adequate protection for an athlete who falls from a typical pole vaulting height of three meters or more onto a hard surface, such as the hard surface of a pole vault box. Id.
While catastrophic injuries resulting from athletes missing the landing pad have decreased since the safety measures implemented by the NFHS and NCAA have taken affect, injuries resulting from athletes falling into the pole vault box itself have more than tripled from 2003 to 2011. Id. at 1493. For example, some reasons for an athlete incorrectly landing in or near the vault box include premature pole release, lack of momentum, and, in at least one documented instance, the vaulting pole of the athlete catching the front lip of the pole vault box during the pole planting stage. Id. at 1491.
In a second more recent survey taken from data at a pole vaulting camp, 422 respondents, about 90% of the 467 participants, indicated they had incorrectly landed in the pole vault box area one or more times. 2012 Pole Vault Survey Results and Data Interpretation, Johnson et al., Sky Jumpers Vertical Sports Club, 1-4 (2012).
While addressing some safety concerns, present pole vault boxes may not address other safety concerns of pole vaulting. One safety concern relates to present pole vault boxes having a straight linear stop board at the end of the pole slide. A potential danger of having a straight linear stop board occurs when the vaulter is already in flight and the pole is bending. The bending pole could collide with the straight stop board, which can result in a damaged vaulting pole. For example, if the vaulting pole weakens or breaks while the vaulter is in mid-flight, the vaulter could potentially fall straight down into the pole vault box from a considerable height. A second safety concern involving the stop board stems from the angle between the stop board and the rotational ledge, which may contribute to the vaulting pole smacking into the lower region of the stop board.
Another possible issue with present pole vault boxes can arise from the lip located in front of the pole slide. Many pole vault boxes have a thick lip that sticks out in front of the pole slide above the surface of a runway that the runner is traveling down prior to planting the vaulting pole. A possible danger with such lip, since it protrudes out above the ground, is the tip of the vaulting pole catching the lip prior to the vaulter planting the vaulting pole. If the vaulting pole tip were to catch with the lip, the pole vaulter may fall down or perform an improper plant, as well as the vaulting pole may weaken or break from the collision with the front lip.
Finally, present pole vault boxes include those that provide no padding on the box itself, or if padding is present, the padding exists only in certain areas. It has been recorded that a direct fall onto an area of the pole vault box that does not have padding, including falling onto a pole slide area or a sidewall, can measure up to about 10,000 Head Injury Criteria (HIC). HIC is a special unit of measurement that provides a likelihood of a head injury arising from an impact. In comparison, at an HIC value of 1000, about one in six people may suffer a life-threatening injury to their brain and, at an HIC value of 250, athletes may suffer a concussion, for example. If the present day pole vault box does have padding, it generally has padding underneath the pole slide or possibly on the sidewalls. However, in present pole vault boxes, areas such as underneath the lip, underneath the rotational ledge, or behind the stop board remain without padding.
It is desirable that a pole vault box has a non-linear stop board portion to limit incorrect collisions with a bending vaulting pole as a vaulter is in flight. It is further desirable, that a pole vault box have a relatively more obtuse or increased angle between the rotational ledge and the stop board, and it is desirable that a lip in front of the pole slide of the pole vault box is structured to minimize catching the tip of the vaulting pole as the vaulter is planting the vaulting pole, and that the lip is adaptable for insertion into the runway. It is also desirable that padding is present on all or portions of surfaces of the lip, rotational ledge, and stop board. Additionally, the padding can extend above the sidewall and/or one or more portions of the base pan.
Thus a padded pole vault box with curved stop board addressing the aforementioned problems is desired.